The Nakba refers to the mass eviction of Palestinians from their historic homeland during the creation of the Israel state in 1948. Otherwise known as “the Catastrophe” is has become a defining point in the Israel-Palestine conflict, and a key event in modern Middle Eastern history.

The Nakba came about as the result of Mandatory Palestine being partitioned in 1948 after World War Two ended, as the United Nations and world powers realigned the borders of the Middle East. However, many say that the plan did not take into account local populations at the time.

Strategy objectives of "Plan Dalet" were to control the Palestinian northern border with Lebanon and Syria; Control the coastline; Clear Palestinian towns, cities and villages between Jerusalem and Jaffa.

Thousands of Palestinians were killed or driven from their homes and communities were uprooted by Jewish paramilitary groups in the weeks and months that followed. Jewish people were also killed by Palestinian groups, however not to the same extent.

Many of the Palestinians who fled or were driven from their homes never returned to historic Palestine, much of which is now the modern-day state of Israel. More than 70 years later, millions of their descendants live in dozens of refugee camps in as internal refugees in Gaza, the West Bank and surrounding countries like Lebanon, Syria and Jordan.

The 1948 war uprooted 700,000 Palestinians from their homes, creating a refugee crisis that is still unresolved, and its legacy of the “right of return” remains one of the most heated issues in ongoing peace negotiations for Israel-Palestine.

Today, Palestinians commemorate Nakba on May 15, the day Israeli’s celebrate their 'independace day’. This year marks 71 years since the 'Catastrophe’ amid an ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and continual failed peace talks between the West Bank and Israel.